It seems to be no coincidence that for the past several weeks we have been working with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission to create a shirt to benefit Haiti. We now have an entirely new sense of urgency and wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Read more about what is happening via this organization here.
Even before the earthquake, Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Even more so now, Haiti is in need of our help. For the immediate future, you can order this shirt, and all of the profits will go to NWHCM to help relieve suffering as a result of the earthquake and work toward providing northwest Haiti with access to water.
About the shirt:
The shirt contains the word Espere, which is Creole for hope. Northwest Haiti is the poorest region of the country and many people in this region have to walk for hours at a time to access clean water. Due to the extremely hard ground, past attempts to drill in the area only resulted in broken equipment. We are excited to report that a sizable donation was made last month to fund the purchase of the correct equipment, which means we can get started on the water systems as soon as we have the funds. With this equipment in place, we aim to partner with NWHCM to bring clean water systems to Northwest Haiti as well as provide education on the systems. However, due to the traumatic situation in Haiti presently, funds will be also be made available to the emergency earthquake relief fund at NWHCM. They are on the ground with medical support and are committed to serving those affected by the disaster.
Original Story behind the shirt:
Most of us live in a filtered world. That is to say that the simple things we are so abundantly blessed with are not considered a blessing, but more like something that we expect. For most of us, accessing water is as easy as the turn, twist, or adjustment of a knob.
Those of us who live in this filtered world rarely consider the possibility that there may be some place, somewhere, where clean and safe water does not exist. There could be a world in which to drink means unavoidable sickness is coming. There could be a heartbreaking world where there is no way to properly hydrate, or bathe a child. The consequence of this is a world where children between the ages of one and five do not have a birthday celebration because all odds say he or she will die sometime before their fifth year of existence.
There are developing countries all across the globe where clean, safe water is only a dream. There are 1.1 billion people in the world without safe water. That is one in every six people on the planet. According to UNICEF, 19 million children die each year from diarrheal diseases related to unsafe drinking water. That is one child in every eight seconds.
There is a world where a mother and her children have to wake up on a daily basis and travel two and a half hours for water that will most likely make them sick. In fact, this world is not far from the filtered world of the United States.
Haiti is the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere. It lies roughly 680 miles south of Miami, Florida, literally in the backyard of the United States. The exciting thing is that there are people who are doing something about the water crisis in Haiti. Northwest Haiti Christian Mission has been immersed in the nation and culture of Haiti for years. Many people through NWHCM have dedicated their lives to holistically recognizing and meeting the needs of the Haitian people. One of the most crucial needs in Northwest Haiti is that of clean and safe drinking water.
Through the purchase of this shirt you will have the opportunity to join NWHCM in providing water to the masses in Haiti. All profits from the shirt sales will go directly towards installing clean water systems in the area and educate those who use it. In doing so, you are rebuilding Haiti by giving the country its most needed resource – water.
Photos above from Andy Olsen Photography. Thanks Andy!
